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The Road to Corinth

Summary:

Summary: Everyone is going to Corinth for Iphicles birthday...it's gonna be a doozy this year!

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The Road to Corinth
by Xandria
xandria1969@yahoo.com

 

Joxer sat on the bank of the river they were camped by and threw twigs in the water as he thought. He had a problem. A secret. A big secret and he didn't know how to tell Xena.

It wasn't exactly his alone to tell, but it would seem as if he had lied to her all this time. He hadn't...not really. He just had never told her everything about him, that's all.

Never told her that the warlord Jorus who brought them up wasn't his father, but his uncle. That the warlord's wife Ylena wasn't his mother.

His real mother had gotten involved with his uncle's brother, then pregnant. He got killed during a battle and she was left alone. Told by her own father to give up the children or he would kill them.

Xena wouldn't have a problem with that, it was who his mother was. The mother of him and his two brothers. Eris, Goddess of Discord. Which made Strife, the god who had caused all his friends trouble at times, his brother.

Each triplet had a little of Strife in them, like they also had some of the other members of the family. Jace and Aphrodite for example, when they got together and had 'girl-talk'...whew!

Smiling at the thought of them plotting with each other, he frowned again. Joxer loved Xena with a passion and she loved him. He wanted to marry her and he was pretty certain she'd agree, but he had to tell her about himself first. And hope she wouldn't want to kill him in the process.

Scowling, he threw a stone in the water. How to tell her?

"Joxer?" A step behind him and he turned to look at her. Xena, Warrior Princess. His Warrior Princess. Tall, beautiful, deadly and currently with a look of concern on her face.

"Hey there Xena" he smiled weakly at her and she scowled before bending down and hauling him up, dragging him back to camp. She sat him on a log and she paced in front of him as she spoke.

"Okay that's it! For the past week you've been hiding something. What is it?"

"You know I love you don't you?"

"Yes." Suspiciously.

"There's something I have to tell you and it's big, Xena, real big. It's just, you're gonna think I'm a big fat liar and I'm not! It's just, it's not entirely mine to tell and there's reasons for not telling you before. Thing is, I've been trying to think of a way to tell you without you wanting to kill me after."

"Just tell me then! It's better than you acting like this. Look, you know I love you too. I'm not much for mushy stuff all that much, but I do. And I know you. I know you wouldn't deliberately deceive me or betray me or anything." She smiled at him and he smiled back.

"I know. I just can't tell you yet. Not until we meet up with Jett, Jace and the others. It's their secret too."

"Ah. Well, let's get going then." Xena began to pack up their campsite.

"What are you doing?"

"We can march through the night and be at Iphicles by midmorning. The sooner we get there the sooner you meet your brothers and I find out what is going on. Then I can get a good night's sleep without you sneaking out and throwing things!" Joxer grinned at his lover's irritation. He had tried to be quiet, but he should have known she'd be able to hear everything. He quickly changed the expression on his face when she turned to glare at him.

"Well?!" Joxer scrambled up and began to hurriedly strike camp as well.

"I hope you still have that faith in me when you know what it is." He muttered to himself as he hurried after Xena.

Finally on the move, the two left without a backward glance. If they had looked back they would have seen the blue flash of light as Strife appeared. Holding his stomach for a second and looking green, he stared after them.

"I hope she does too, Jox. Ya deserve a fair go." Cupid appeared suddenly looking frantic and Strife rolled his eyes before smiling at his lover.

"What are ya doing transporting like that, it could hurt tha baby!"

"Oh c'mon Cupe, not at this stage. Look, I checked with Granma and Aunt 'Dite, I can do this till I'm six months at least,'kay?"

"Oh. Well, ya know I'm worried about you, what are you doing here anyway?"

"Checking up on Jox. He's been giving out powerful vibes lately."

"I know. C'mon Strife. Let’s go home." The two young gods disappeared in a flash of blue and pink sparkles.

*****************************************************

An Inn in Thrace

"Hurry up Iolaus or we'll be late!" Hercules impatiently banged on the door of the hunter's room. Today they would finally get to Iphicles palace to celebrate his birthday. Today would be the first time he would see Jace after a month's absence.

The entertainer had insisted they have a break, to see if what they felt for each other was real or just passion, but now Hercules knew he wanted Jace more than ever. Leaning against the door, he opened up his waist pouch and looked at the earrings he had bought for him.

Dreaming of their reunion he was rudely awakened when Iolaus suddenly opened the door and he fell back on the floor.

"What on earth?!" the Hunter exclaimed.

"Finally! Let's go!" The Hero jumped up and bounced down the hallway. Looking back he saw Iolaus hadn't moved and was staring at him in surprise. "Cmon, Iolaus! The sooner we get there the better." Shrugging, the hunter followed his friend down the stairs.

He wasn't in such a big hurry as Eris had visited him last night, and any other night she had free. So far they had only talked. The Goddess had told him about herself and Iolaus had done the same. There was so much more to her than he had realised, real hidden depths.

Being Goddess of Discord meant she was a Goddess of Aggression, yes. But she was a Goddess, not a God, and liked female things as well.

Okay, so the flowers she liked best were not only beautiful but were usually poisonous, well, that was part of her nature. The songs she enjoyed most were battle songs, fair enough. But she did have a softer side.

Her children. No one hurt them if it was possible for her to protect them. Iolaus was the only mortal who knew the triplets were her sons. And he wasn't about to tell, not his secret. He knew Joxer, Jace and Jett would never spy on their friends just because of their family.

Another reason he wasn't in such a big hurry was that Eris had told him that the triplets were finally going to reveal all. Iphicles' birthday was going to be more exciting than usual this year.
 

*****************************************************

Iphicles' Bedroom

Iphicles sighed happily as his lover stroked down his back, pressing his thumbs down hard as he went.

"Oh yes, like that! Harder! More!" His lover chuckled suddenly and moved away. The king sat up and looked indignantly at him.

"My arms are getting tired."

"How can they get tired? You're the God of War!"

"Hey, I'm a fighter, not a masseuse!"

"Well you certainly do a good job of it. My back feels a lot better now."

"It's your throne, Iph. It's not the right shape."

"What should I do, get an armchair?!"

"No, but if you sit like I do it doesn't hurt as much as the end of the day."

"And I thought you did that because you knew how hot it makes you look!"

"That too. So what did you want to tell me?"

"Hercules is coming for my birthday, and so are Xena, Gabrielle and Iolaus too of course. And a few guests they asked to bring as well. I want to tell him about us."

"Okay."

"I don't want to lie to him any...Okay? You don't mind?"

"Of course not! I love you, I want everyone to know! And Iolaus already knows."

"He does?! Then wouldn't Hercules know too!?"

"Not really. Iolaus has a godly lover too."

"Not Strife?!"

"What?! No! Iolaus has gotten involved with Eris. Strife wouldn’t cheat, anyway, especially when he's pregnant to Cupid. And Eris has nagged them into marrying so..."

"Cupid's pregnant!?"

"No, Strife is. I told him to be careful, to use protection, but does he listen? No! Discord's son, doesn't think of it! Still, Cupid's a good father and he's certainly been very good for Strife."

"Protection?! I can't get you pregnant or anything can I?!" Ares stared at him and laughed.

"Don't be silly!"

"Oh good..."

"I make sure I use protection!"

"Oh good...what?! You mean I could...?

"Well yeah, but only because Amphitryon was a grandson of Zeus. There's just enough Godly blood in you to make it possible."

"…oh…" Iphicles lay back down on the bed again.

"Are you okay Iphicles? You've turned white."

"I couldn't get pregnant could I?!"

"No! You don't have enough Godly blood for that. To be pregnant, you have to be a God, or the son of one. And only if you're with someone else who is either a god or the son of one."

"That's a relief. Hey Ares…want to make sure your...protection is still working?" Iphicles lay back on his side and smiled up at Ares. The god of War smiled back and bent over his lover to kiss him.

*****************************************************

Poteideia

"Bye Mom, Bye Dad." Gabrielle hugged her parents one final time and stood back. A break from the road like this had been wonderful. Waving one final time, she began to walk on the road to Corinth. Soon finding a good pace, she let her mind wander a bit.

Sure, she loved both Joxer and Xena, but being odd man out now most of the time was disconcerting. So when her parents had written asking for help with the harvest she had gone. One month back at home, to let Joxer and Xena have time to themselves and to think.

About Jett. King of Assassins. And now he was her lover as well, how did that happen? Gabrielle remembered back to that time with Cleopatra, and Autolycus and first meeting him. So like Joxer in appearance, but his eyes, his face. Handsome, with an air of menace that attracted rather than repelled.

Thinking of the mild crush she had had on Xena for a while Gabrielle wondered if it was the air of menace in particular she liked. It didn't matter, Jett was the one she loved. Stopping suddenly, Gabrielle stared at the road in front of her and shook her head before moving on.

Love? She loved Jett?  But he was an Assassin, and her opposite. While Gabrielle preferred to talk her way out of things, Jett liked to use a dagger. Their second meeting, within moments they were kissing, while that whole weekend they could barely keep their hands off each other.

Gabrielle had thought it was just sex. Good sex, incredible sex, but no more. Nothing wrong with that. The third time they met, she thought that was all it was, too. Even when Jett threw aside one of his clients...something he had never done before. The fourth time, he had managed to get the job done before meeting her back at the inn. That night was definitely one of her most passionate ever, better for the delay.

The fifth, sixth and seventh times she wondered if maybe a lust spell had been put on them. The eighth, ninth and tenth times Gabrielle thought...who cares? And didn't worry any more about it.

Then, the eleventh time she saw Jett, he kissed her and held her, but no more. And Gabrielle thought it was the end. She wanted to die. But no. Jett just wanted to talk first. And he said if he did any more than hold her right then he wouldn't be able to have enough self-control to just talk. And they did, all that night and the next day.

They told each other their secrets, their dreams. They did have a lot in common. They argued about his job and The Way. They agreed to leave that topic alone in future. And they laughed. Especially when they realised they both had the crush on the same person. It would be interesting to see if he would like to get together with them both some time.

Smiling to herself Gabrielle picked up her pace. The sooner she got to Corinth the sooner she would see Jett and everyone else once more.

"Gabrielle? Is that you?" Turning, she smiled widely. What luck!

"Hello Auto."

"Where are you going on this lovely day? And where's Xena?" Autolycus pulled out a waterskin and began to drink. Gabrielle watched carefully and spoke just as he was mid swallow.

"She's with her lover. Joxer." Autolycus, King of Thieves, choked, dropping the waterskin and wetting himself in the process. Gabrielle smiled. That man would definitely win a wet shirt contest!

 

To be continued in
The King's Birthday Weekend